How Not to Choose an Estate Agent


  1. Highest price – the easiest thing in the world for any estate agent wishing to secure your business is to overprice your property to make you feel good about your home and the price that you want to believe you will achieve!  Try and retain a balanced view on price, and it is safe to say an average of opinions is probably the best guide you will ever have of your property’s true worth.  

  2. The lowest fee – when agents are desperate for business, one of the most straightforward methods to secure a property for sale is by reducing the fee – but remember, if they can’t negotiate a good commission with you, how are they going to negotiate a good price for you?
     

  3. No sales records – don’t instruct an agent that can’t provide you with evidence of successfully selling a property either the same as yours, or similar to it, in your general area.  A track record is important to show that they can sell similar properties to your own.  

  4. No evidence – when an estate agent comes to see you they should be prepared to show you, by evidence of other sales, why they have come up with the figure that they have provided you with.  If they can’t, why not?  Have they just plucked the figure out of the air to secure your business – always demand proof.  

  5. Property portals – internet exposure of your home is vital, and if your agent can’t, or won’t, list your property on two of the following, then don’t instruct them;  rightmove.co.uk, onthemarket.com or zoopla.co.uk.  These are the three major portals and you must be on at least two of them to really maximise your chances of attracting a buyer.